


These Barred Walls Couldn't Contain Us

by geewizzle



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Arkham Asylum, Based on what I gathered from the promo, Blackgate, Explainations, Fluff and Angst, Love Confessions, Love Letters, M/M, Murder Husbands, Partners in Crime, Post 5x11, Prisoners, Quick drabble that is barely edited, Riddler - Freeform, Soft Boys, could do a part 2, finishes kinda abruptly but its mostly bc I didn't wanna write over possible canon, penguin - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-24
Updated: 2019-04-24
Packaged: 2020-01-31 05:38:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18584863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/geewizzle/pseuds/geewizzle
Summary: To Edward, it was a form of blessing knowing that Oswald was in Blackgate, away from the hellish torture of the Asylum.Yes, he and Oswald were separated, unsurprisingly. But Edward would rather have Oswald just that little bit safer in a prison away from him, than be treated like a lab rat or circus act where Edward would most likely be punished for trying to protect him.





	These Barred Walls Couldn't Contain Us

Partners in crime they had sworn to be. Together they were unstoppable, a true force of nature. 

They had never felt so enamoured with each other, like their very beings were stitched to each other’s side. 

They worked in perfect synchronisation as they had meticulously planned. One man would be pragmatic, cocking the gun forward and the other would be standing directly behind him, protecting the other and bellowing at whatever fool they were facing to fall to their knees. Often, they switched up the roles, taking different approaches for different means. 

Oswald was usually more totalitarian with his speeches, and Ed a little clumsier with the gun. But nonetheless, the two men couldn’t doubt how perfectly they worked together, as they always had.

It was a mere few weeks after Gotham finally received aid from the government and buildings were being rebuilt that The Penguin and The Riddler decided to take their revenge on James Gordon.  
Not only had the pair planned this venture for some time, the two men needed a moment to come to terms with their own unspoken feelings towards one another. 

They were both too afraid to take on such a big plot that came with the risk of losing one another again just after they finally reconciled.

Edward had found himself more than once smiling down at the blueprints and plans before him as the warm comfort of the hug he shared with Oswald briefly drifted across his mind. He could feel those small arms grip around him for dear life and softly rock the two in a slow sway. It was a moment in time when he felt completely whole as a man and completely, but unashamedly vulnerable. Oswald and Edward had both given themselves over to each other, and the catharsis of each other’s gentle touches was something not even Edward could begin to explain. 

Oswald too felt Edward’s embrace encompass him often without the man physically being there. The mere memory of their hug was enough to remind Oswald how indebted he was to the other man; how much he will forever care for him. It was a feeling he knew he could never let go, not after everything they’ve been through.

The embrace was the catalyst of their story, edging towards the climax of every event that had moulded their relationship into what it presently was. 

Oswald would hold onto that moment forever, and still found every chance that he got to hug Ed, to replicate that same overwhelming burst emotion that swallowed them whole. 

Usually his hugs were spontaneous. After Edward had handed him a cup of tea or changed his bandages for him, or even after he read Oswald the headline of the latest Gotham Gazette, Oswald would leap up from the lounge chair and hug the other man tight. Edward would always stiffen at first, still not use to physical affections, but would soon melt into the embrace with a smile and a gentle arm hugging back. 

Other times, they both went to hug each other with purpose. Though it had been two years since Oswald was last in Arkham, nightmares of the terrifying Jerome Valeska and Strange’s experiments continued to haunt his dreams every once in a while. It wasn’t something that Oswald was proud of, but his dreams were not something he had control over, nor were his instinctual reactions to them. 

He would wake up screaming and physically shaking, looking around his empty makeshift bedroom in the library that was once Ed’s. After a few desperate cries and attempts to calm down, he would dial Edward’s number on the phone by his bedside and the younger man, who had excused himself to sleep on a couch in the other room since offering Oswald his bed, would find his way to Oswald as soon as he woke. 

Edward would quietly enter Oswald’s bedroom, concern written all over his face to which Oswald always felt guilty for and collected the smaller man in his arms. They held each other close, feeling their souls intertwine and glow in the space between them. Oswald’s tears began to dry as he pressed his face deeper towards Edward’s chest, feeling his fear dissipate and his heart heal. 

“I’ll always be here, Oswald” Edward softly spoke, lulling the other man’s emotions with a slow rock, “If you call for me, I’ll always run to you”. 

“I know” Oswald whispered after a beat, clutching Edward’s green jacket in his hands. 

They had grown incredibly closer over the past weeks since that first hug in the library, with cautious knives clutched in each other’s hands and sighs of shared relief. Together, they knew they were stronger than both Edward and Oswald would ever be alone. They needed each other in more ways than one, and neither one of them were willing to give that up. 

Fate however, like always had different plans for them.

It was the night that the two criminals were to declare their meticulously planned revenge on Jim Gordon that they both got arrested. For weeks, they had strategized and every twist and turn of fate that could possibly bestow upon them and turn their plans haywire. Edward had sworn that his plan was full proof, and naturally Oswald trusted that. 

However, what they were unprepared for was for their henchmen to oh so characteristically turn on them and rat out their ware bouts to the GCPD and their plans to murder the new police commissioner. 

In the dead of midnight, Edward and Oswald were both standing either side of the GCPD, machine guns in hand waiting to give each other the signal. They barely made out a word to each other before police cars soon surrounded them, sirens wailing and lights of blue and red blinding them. 

In a fit of rage, Oswald fired in every direction, which caused police officers from behind him to retaliate and shoot at his legs. The Penguin collapsed screaming, which caused Edward to shoot the cops who had hurt his partner and ran over to the wounded Oswald. They both looked at each other with regret and shame, how could this have gone so wrong?

“I’m so sorry Oswald!” Edward yelled as he witnessed Oswald being ripped away from him by more police. His legs were then too shot, and the taller man fell to the floor with a pained scream.

“Edward!” Oswald bellowed “Don’t you dare hurt him you bastards!”. 

The two men were then both whisked away by countless cops, tearing the partners in crime from each other’s sight. 

They wouldn’t give up without a fight of course, Oswald scratching and swearing at the men gripping into him, trying his best to wriggle away in his injured state. He managed to fall into the floor, calling out to Edward who was trying his best to do the same. He managed to loosen the cop’s grip from around his bicep and he sprinted over to his collapsed friend on the wet pavement. 

“Oswald!” He spoke, hurryingly holding onto the smaller man for a moment that most truly could be his last for a long time. 

Oswald smiled up at him, holding onto the other man’s arm before he could feel himself being ripped away from the one person in this city he still cared about. 

“No!” Edward cried, trying to shake the police off him to no avail. The distance between the two partners grew greater as each second passed between them. The rain that fell from the sky only blurred their vision of one another further. 

As Edward watched Oswald being pushed unceremoniously into a police car, that was when his heartful instincts took over his logistical mind. He had no clear concept over the amount of time that he would be apart from Oswald. 

At his best luck, they would wind up in the same cell together, preferably in Black Gate as both men loathed the thought of ever going back to the wretched hell hole that was Arkham Asylum. 

But of course, luck was not something Edward Nygma was faithful to. If anything, he knew the justice system of Gotham would keep Edward and Oswald apart for as long as they could in order to keep both the city safe and to spite the two villains. 

He needed to say what he had to now, or else he may never get another chance to. 

“Oswald!” He called, to which Oswald quickly turned his head, pushing the police away. 

When Edward saw his partner’s hopeful face, the surety of his words had never seemed clearer.

“I love you!”

And with that, both men were being thrown into their respective police cars and were taken off the city streets and away from each other. 

Of course, they were aware that they were living a life of severe risk. They would have been fools to not think that they wouldn’t get caught at some point. But they just wanted to have some fun and enjoy their time together before that opportunity arose. 

Edward and Oswald were just not prepared to become so enamoured with each other and to fall in love right before their incarceration. In some sense it could have been seen as a form of poetic justice, but to them it was just a plain nuisance.

-

Much to Edward’s resentment, he got 10 years in Arkham Asylum. 

He was hardly given a trial, simply thrown into the insanity prison after a few papers were signed and a cell was freed up. He spent the first few hours of his stay screaming at the walls in anger, damning both the GCPD and Gotham City for failing him once again. 

Edward found his knuckles swollen and bloody from punching into the brick walls until he passed out from the pain. He was so close. 

However, Edward recognised that he shouldn’t be completely hopeless about his situation. After a couple of days into his sentence, he overhead two other inmates talking about The Penguin. This perked Edward’s interest instantly, for most of his time in the Asylum thus far, he had kept a low profile, often eating his “lunch” in the corner of the cafeteria or hiding away in the bathrooms to have a moment of long desired peace. So, he didn’t want to make his presence known to the two men, instead crouching behind a table to get a better listen.

“Do you remember Penguin? He was in here about a year or two ago?”

“Oh yeah” the other ignoramus chuckled, “he was that clown’s bitch”

“Yeah, haha heard he’s in Blackgate now which is unfortunate. For us anyway”

“Yeah we could have had some real fun with him now that the clown’s gone”

To Edward, it was a form of blessing knowing that Oswald was in Blackgate, away from the hellish torture of the Asylum. Yes, he and Oswald were separated, unsurprisingly. But Edward would rather have Oswald just that little bit safer in a prison away from him, than be treated like a lab rat or circus act where Edward would most likely be punished for trying to protect him. 

Oswald also got 10 years, but the courts didn’t see him as “insane” like they saw Edward. Yes, Oswald was a narcissistic murderer and a megalomaniac, but to them Edward was a much deeper threat. He was unhinged. He was unpredictable. The courts knew Oswald well, he would be better contained in a prison filled with testosterone fuelled brutes. They would keep the smaller man in line. 

Of course, this thought quickly took away what ever ounce of relief Edward had about Oswald being in Blackgate. He wouldn’t stand a chance against those meatheads. Oswald was all talk and without a weapon he was just a short, pale man with skin begging to be bruised. The sudden thought of Oswald being taken advantage of in there caused Edward to pick at the scabs on his knuckles. 

There was too much he couldn’t control, too much he wished he could have said or done before it was too late.

-

It was within the first week of Edward’s sentence that he got his first letter from Oswald. 

Edward had been misbehaving, lying all day on his stone-cold mattress and refusing to get up. He didn’t see the point, nothing was worth getting up for anymore, no body cared whether he lived for died. 

The one person who did anyway was not only miles away from him, but years too. 

So, he was startled when an envelope was thrown at him from out side of his cell. The tall man peered down at it from his bunk, studying the crisp white paper and cursive lettering of his name. It was so smooth, as if the word ‘Edward’ took minutes to write with only the most delicate precision taken. 

Edward stumbled out of his bunk and took the envelope in hand. He rubbed his finger over his name before flipping it over and his eyes widened upon spotting the return address.

‘Return: Blackgate Penitentiary, GOTHAM, USA 735’ 

Without a moment’s hesitation he ripped open the envelope and took the letter out. 

“My dear Edward, 

It seems that fate again has another plan for us, one that I’m sure we both were not anticipating. If you are wondering why you haven’t seen me around the Asylum the past few days, it is with a heavy and regretful heart to admit that I will carry out my sentence in Blackgate. Please, believe that I begged and pleaded to the judge and to Gordon that I be moved to Arkham so we could stay together. 

I tried everything that I could to sway them my dear, but Gordon has made an effort to keep us separated and I know that it is in both our best interests to not cause a scene over this. I’ve been told that Blackgate is in direct contact with Arkham and that if I step out of line, they will punish you for it and will make sure I hear about it. I couldn’t risk that, so I’m sending you this letter to let you know my current surroundings. 

I must be careful with my words, as the guards read our letters before they get sent away. But I want you to know how much I miss you, Edward. I know we’ve only been apart for a few days, but I can’t bare the thought of not seeing your face again for ten years”

Sudden drops of tears smudged the paper before Edward realised, he was crying. He gripped the paper tighter as he read, careful to hang onto the words without tearing them. 

“You mean the entire world to me my friend, and I want you to know that I return the same sentiment that you told me the night we were both being whisked away. I have never stopped feeling the way you do, and I know that not even these four walls will contain how I feel” 

Those words, though Edward understood were filtered due to the discretion of the prison guards and Oswald’s safety, meant the entire world to him. 

“We are fighters Edward, until I see you on the other side, we have to be strong. 

I promise that I will send you a letter every single day for the next ten years. Even if you don’t feel like sending me a letter back, I want you to know every single day that I am okay and that one day I vow to come back to you.  
I want you to remember that thought, when you’re in your darkest moments, when you’re wrestling with your mind and you feel alone. I want you to hold onto these letters and let them give you something positive to look forward to, something to put your trust in and hope for.

Until we meet again,

Yours,  
Oswald” 

With the last few words entering and leaving his mind, Edward ran his fingers over ‘Oswald’s’ name one more time before placing the letter beneath his pillow.

**Author's Note:**

> Omg ok this was written in like an hour probably all together and I know its pretty messy, DEFINITELY not my best writing and ends kinda abruptly but I get kinda weird about writing possible canon ESPECIALLY when this is pre-finale. Idk man hahah I could write a part two but I just felt like this was already getting too long. Let me know your thoughts anyway! STG Ed and Oswald better be sending each other love letters every damn day for those 10 years. I mean they're married in all the promo pics so one would assume. God, 5x12 is gonna be such a fever dream.


End file.
